Conveyer plait press



J'. c. LEDBETTER 'CONVEYER PLAIT PREsS Filed Sept. 5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 31, 1927. V 1 1,630,392

4 INVENTOR James 6; [e c/ 5e New B WWI ATTORNEYS May 31, 1927. 1,630,392

J- C. LEDBETTER CONVEYER PLAIT PRESS v Filed Sept. 5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 x INVENTOR Lime: 6'. Le rlbe [fer Ii TTORNEYS Patented May 31, 1927.

UNIT!) s'r JAMES C. LEDBETTER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE PROSPERITY COMPANY, INC. A CORPORATION OF ,NEW YORK. I

CONVEYER PLAIT PRESS.

Application filed September 5, 1924; Serial No. 736,003.

plait holders over and above the construc- 7 tion shown in the ironing board plait holder Dwoirin Patent 1,501,044 granted July 15, 1924.

A further and main object of the invention. is to produce a plait holder conveyer pressing machine whereby one or more work holding trays may be operated on one or more tracks whereby the plait holder is Y,

conveyed into the jaws of a pressing ma chine for permanently baking in and curing plaits in goods. I

A further objectis to produce an improved plait holder constructed as an attachment which may be mounted on ironing boards or ordinaryhand. ironing work.

Having this and other objects in view the invention relates to a certain combination and relation of parts. an example of which is shown in the accompanying drawings, and the principle of which is set forth in the following specification and claims.

Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic front view of pressing machine jaws in open position with a track disposed alongside thereof and with a plait holderand plaited work carrying car or tray movably carried on the track; and the tray is shown in position ready to have the work supportedv therein pressed between the jaws and the press head is in the act of descending. I

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the plait holder work carrying 'tray or car with the head of the press removed was to disclose a general plan view of the plurality of plait forming and pre$ing fingers.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of a plait holder attachment constructed in accordance with the plans of this invention, and as applied to an ordinary ironing board.

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing one of the plait holder pressure fingers as developed along the line -'1-4 of Figure 7.

-Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure? and shows a front elevation of a ratchet wheel designed to hold the plaiting pressure fingers down inoperative position, and shows a shaft common to a large number of plait fingers.

Figure 6 shows a sectional view as developed on the line 66 and illustrates in side elevation the plait pressure finger and cooperating ratchet by which the finger is ratcheted down and held against the work. Figure 7 is a plan fragmentary view of one end of the tray frame with-a section thereof brokenaway in order to show the plait holding fingers in full size on the tray frame. 4

Figure 8 shows a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7 and illustrates a spring pressed locking handle designed to simultaneously release all the plait holding fingers as well as permitting the plaitholding fingers to be individually and separatel v' pressed down against the work torhold each successive plait as it is manually formed and shaped up in the goods by the operator performing the. work. 7

Figure 9 illustrates an end elevation of a; hand wheel used .to simultaneously open all the plait holding fingers whereby the work is removed from the tray or ironing board.

A description will first be given of the combination plait and work carrying tray employedas a conveyer for use in connection with an ordinary pressing machine.

A pressing machine is shown in diagrammatic form and has the usual pressing jaw members such as the head 10 and buck 11 and the jaws open and close on the work as well known to those conversant with the art. The pressing jaws 10 and 11 are suitably heated by any appropriate means and are either operated manna ly or by power means depending upon the type of garment machine at hand. A conveyer track comprising parallel rails 12 is disposed alongside the pressing jaws and the track may be so constructed that a double roll in and roll out tray conveyer may be used in conjunction with a pressing machine. but for the purpose ofdisclosing the present invention. I illustrate one track only. A car or tray comprising a rectangular frame 13 is provided with car. wheels or rollers 14 journaled on the frame and this car travels on the track in and out of the ress. v

The rails 12 are preferably epressed at 15 for the purpose of bringing the car or tray 13 to rest at a predetermined pointin exact i 15 immediately lifts the frame 13 above the alignment with the pressing jaws. Furthermore the depressed, indented, or low track portions permit the tray 13 to gravitate downwardly against the lower press jaw 11 just at the moment the tray comes to rest.

This final downward motion of the tray when it enters the-low track part 15 permits the tray center cloth webbing 16 to make contact with the pressing face 17 of the lower press jaw 11 which permits the press head 10 to move down against the tray web 16 without distorting it since the said tray webbing 16 rests in positive contact with the lower jaw. As the car 13 moves out of the press, the hill or rise in the track at the depression edge'of the press in order that the rectangular metal frame 13 not strike the edges or cornersof the lower jaw 11 as the tray begins to leave the press.

The foregoing description covers in general any suitable combination of pressing machine and tray upon which my improved plait holder is installed and combined therewith; and my invention not only consists'in a new combination of a conveyor plait holdplait holder mounted on the tray frame, and

the tray frame shown in Figure 7 is stripped of its webbing for clarity, andthe frame has a line of holes 20 by which central webbing 16 is laced, as indicated at 21, into the frame 13. The plait holding attachment is incorporated in the frame as by mounting it on the frame itself or by setting a wide plate or board 22 into the frame as a part of the frame structure. A plait holder shaft 23 has each end thereof journaled in the frame and the shaft carries a plurality of ratchet wheels 24 fixed thereon in spaced relation and each spaced toothed wheel or ratchet wheel performs the function of holding: plait pressing finger down in operative position.

A flexible plate spring plait holding finger I 28 has one end thereof split and this bifurcated end is curled to form a bearing encircling the hub 30 of the ratchet 24, the arrangement being such that the said ratchet wheel 24 is disposed between the forked ends 29 of the pressing fingers 28. The ratchet wheel 24 and the plait holding finger 28 are rotatably held together inasmuch as the curled end 29 is passed around the ratchet wheel hub 30; and the said ratchet wheel is anchored or fixed to the shaft 23 while the part 28 may pivot relatively to and turnon the ratchet wheel hub 30. Each pressure finger assembly 28 ,and ratchet wheel 24 is constructed identically one like the other and and understanding of one is suflicient for all. Each plait holding finger 28 is provided with an integral spring catch pawl 31 which 1s cut from the center of the plate steel member 28 thus forming the forked ends 29. This spring pressed pawl rests in engagement wit-lithe ratchet wheel 24 and snaps over each successive tooth as the linger 28 is driven or pressed down manually by the operator on the work to 'hold individual plaits in position.

A press button or handle 31 may, if desired, be anchored to the spring plate finger 28, though the button 34. may be omitted therefrom and the operator may as well press directly on the spring 28 to bring it down into holding and pressing position on the plaited work. The outer fiat end 35 of the plait holding finger provides a large bearing surface by which the plaits in the work are held under the pressure of the Hat finger part which may spread acrossscveral plaits. the shaft 23 and anchored to the plate 22 at intervals along the shaft in order that the i shaft 23 be positively held in alignment when considerable pressure is being exerted on" the work by the several plait holding spring fingers 28 for by the time the large numberof spring fingers are bearing down on the work a considerable pressure is exerted on the shaft 23 though comparatively little pressure is exerted by any one lone finger.

A hand wheel 39 is anchored to one end of the shaft 23 and the operator may rotate this hand wheel a partial revolution, say degrees to swing the entire line of plait holding fingers on the shaft up in vertical position as shown in Figure 8, and all the plait holders are instantly and simultaneously lifted off of the work whereas in old patented plait holders suggested in the past, only one finger was lifted at a time. Locking means is employed to hold the plurality of spring pressed fingers downin operative position and this locking means is shown in sectional detail in Fi ure 8 wherein the locking wheel 40 is anchored to the shaft, 23. This toothed locking wheel is made with lock notches 41 engaged by a dog 42. The dog is pivotally carried on a bearing pin 43 anchored to the frame 13. A spring 44 has one end thereof anchored to the frame 13 while the free end yieldingly presses against the dog 42. L

Pressure of; the spring44 is overcome by a pull exerted on a handle 46. which is anchored to'the dog 42. The .operator, by grasping the handle 46 in one hand and the Bearings 36 may be carried on y wheel 39 in the other hand, first overcomes the pressure of the spring 44 and then the wheel 39 is rotated clockwise to swing allbolt and the plaits formed up by the oper-- ator, and feed through the pressing machine.

.Each finger 28-35 is large enough to bear down on two or three folds or-plaits and will even covermore where the plaits are in narrower folds.

The conveyer tray 13 is shown equipped with a plaiting finger unit at each end for the purpose of securely holding each edge of the goods: and the construction and operation of the two units is identical.

Referring to Figure 3. a description will now be given of an improved ironing board for domestic use and with which my improved plait holding attachment. may be used. This attachment for ironing boards may comprise a frame plate 48 carrying a shaft 49 on one end of which is anchored a wheel 50. A locking dog and handle 51 works against the shaft 49 to hold it in fixed position. pressed fingers 52, as already described, is carried on the shaft and is adapted to resilientl'y press down on the work such as a The plurality of spring.

skirt S held on the ironing board B. The construction and operation of the ironing board plait holder is identical withthe trav or car hereinhefore described. The ironing board plait holder 48 is manufactured in attachment form and is provided with a suitable clamp, if necessary, by which it is fastened to the ironing board B.

'hat I claim is:

1. Plait holding means comprisin a frame embodying a work support, a s aft rotatably mounted therein. a plurality of spring pressed fold retaining fingers our naled on the shaft, a ratchet wheel fixed to the shaft, a pawl attached to each finger and locking against the ratchet wheel to hold the finger down on the plait fold, and unlocking means cooperating with the shaft by which all the fingers are simultaneously lifted off the work.

2. Plait holding means comprising, a

' frame embodying a work support, a shaft turned a partial revolution to lift the fingers off the; work. locking means to fix the hand operable member against operation, and unlocking means by which the hand operable member is released.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

. JAMES C. LEDBETTER. 

